City comparison
Austin, TX vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Austin, TX are 10.9% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $110,900 in Austin, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,562 a month in Austin, TX versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Austin, TX and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,885 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.7% moving from Austin, TX to Huntington, WV ($109,428 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.9% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (about average)
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Austin, TX | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,166 in Huntington | $110,907 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $853/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,295 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,885 (WV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,885/yr.
100 Strong offer
Huntington, WV → Austin, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,885/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Huntington, WV is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Huntington, WV | Real change, Austin → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $61,722 | +7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $74,678 | +7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $89,508 | +7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $106,437 | +7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $125,776 | +7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $57,450 | $63,716 (+4.0%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $110,780 | $122,863 (−8.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $70,840 | $78,566 (−5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $81,010 | $89,846 (−8.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.